Together Again
by noobl
Summary: Because, at the end of the day, when she had him by her side, she could be brave. (a retelling of Explorers of Sky's ending)


A/N: Hello there! Hope you're doing well.

I've never written something for Pokemon before, or written anything in a while. But having just played and finished a PMD game for the first time, I felt somewhat compelled to write it.

This is a retelling of PMD2's ending, it doesn't have much in the way for original ideas or new takes on the games.

**Spoiler warning, naturally (although I doubt most of you haven't played the game until now, unlike me).**

Also, I'd recommend listening to On the Beach at Dusk from the soundtrack while reading this.

* * *

The ocean waves were softly washing onto the shore, pulling away at the little grains of sand on the beach. They formed a simple melody, in tune with the lightly rustling trees and the faint chatter and footsteps of Pokemon that came from Treasure Town, which lay a short path away.

It was dusk. The sky held an orange hue as the sun began to approach the horizon, clouds surrounding it as a calm and mellowing aura lingered in the air. The Krabby gathered around the towering cliffs and shores, blowing bubbles that floated to the heavens above the bright endless sea.

Wordlessly, a small figure strolled down the beaten path toward the peaceful sight, a slight tap in her step as she quietly hummed to herself with her eyes closed. Having left the guild only a few moments earlier, the Eevee had come to escape the noise and toil of her work. Here, the water's sway was all she had to listen to. Walking onto the sand, she passed by the tall rocks which obscured her view and stopped by the shoreline.

"Oh, wow…" She said to herself, "This is beautiful!"

Having walked through every crevasse of land and sky, trodding through every mile of forest and cavern that this world seemed to offer, this place would have seemed like one of the least important to her. It was, after all, just a beach; there was only sand, rocks, and water here. But while every other area held a certain beauty, this simple strip of coastline meant significantly more to her. It offered comfort. It gave warmth in spite of the blowing breeze that caused her to shiver at times. It kindled a sense of assurance and stability that no other place could offer. No words existed to describe the light feeling that emerged in her heart as she would look at that vibrant orange sky.

This place was a reflection of a simpler time. It was a reminder that acted to bring back those little moments to her, where everything was perfect and nothing could possibly go wrong. Before she became a recruit at the guild and before she could gather the courage to stand up for herself.

"I haven't seen this for a long time. It's as beautiful as I remember." She spoke openly, taking the view all at once as more fond recollections of the place began to settle in her head. "I've just been too busy to come and see it." Indeed, the past few months had felt an eternity. So much had happened, and so quickly too. She hadn't had the time to adapt and adjust with every twist along the way. After the danger and adrenaline had faded away, all that was left was the memory. All there was to do was continue exploring, rescuing, and capturing, the idea of another grand expedition to unknown areas seeming to have lost its luster. She struggled to start that long road to moving on. It seemed like she never would fully move on. Some days, the pain would be as fresh as ever, and she'd find it impossible to stop bawling in tears as the empty bed beside her pierced her soul as it taunted her about what had gone away.

But, she was making progress. Slowly. Ever so slowly.

There were good days. Days where the memories felt bright and graceful. Days where the company of Pokemon around her would make the heartache disappear and replace it with laughter and happiness. Days where her adventures made her proud and amazed in spite of everything bad that happened. There were even days like these, where the simple sight of the ocean sunset eased her into a peaceful daze.

For all it was, this was the place that pulled her out of her toughest challenges, the one that brought her out of her sorrow. This place marked the start of a once in a lifetime adventure, the place was where she began to turn her life around for the better. This was the place where she'd found him, down on the shore, the one who had selflessly carried her beyond limitations and inhibition. Always, without fail, this place had lifted her spirits. It had raised her ambitions and gave answers to her wishes in ways she never could have expected. Even now, as she bore the weight of the past few months on her shoulders, this place made her feel happy and carefree. It was, as it always had been, a guarantee of better days to come.

"I've missed this… fantastic sight." She exhaled, letting a bout of silence envelop the air as she tried to relax her thoughts and just watch once more. She'd taken the familiarity of this place for granted. She'd neglected to come here every once and awhile to relax. But finally, she'd come back here. Finally, she was at ease again.

If there was nothing else to keep going for, seeing this sunset made everything worthwhile.

"I wonder when it was when I last saw this…" Pausing for a short second, she continued her monologue, "The last time was…"

A pause…

"Oh…" She muttered, the once-neglected memories starting to resurface with a renewed fervor as she thought, "The last time I saw this… It was when…"

"When I met Pikachu…"

And suddenly, as her words drifted off, that first day felt like it had only just happened yesterday. Everything, every second and every moment of that day, brought back to light with brilliant perception and lifelike detail. That feeling of dejection and failure towering over her as she berated her cowardice and insecurity, mellowed by the gentle breeze that made her shiver and the crashing waves landing onto the coarse sand beside her. That awe-inspiring sight of bubbles persistently floating in the air above her, so far and high as they seemed to go toward the setting sun off in the distance. That momentary glance to the side that revealed a small yellow dot in the distance, incurring her curiosity to get closer. That abrupt, sudden realization that there was a Pokemon downed on the beach, her immediate instinct to try and help taking over her mind.

"The view was like this that time too…" She realized, looking toward the exact spot where she'd found him those few months ago.

And as she looked on, as she watched those two weathered rocks afront her, she was suddenly reliving that fateful day. Suddenly, she was whispering to herself, saying, "The Krabby blowing all those bubbles along the beach…" as her paws slowly moved on their own, guiding her toward the very spot where she'd first seen him. "I noticed someone… right here…"

Her eyes searched for that yellow rodent in the sand, only finding nothing yet continuing to stare nonetheless. "Pikachu was… unconscious…" She paused, noticing her vision get foggier as it somehow became harder to stand up straight. Her voice hitched as the rest came to her, "That was when… Pikachu and I…" She stuttered, unable to fully compose herself as she reminisced.

"That was when our adventure began." She said with finality, weakness in her voice as her mind seemed to wander. The snowball of memories that she'd had started to roll, and now she was experiencing them again, hanging onto every single one as if her life depended on it.

* * *

**_..._**

* * *

_"Would you be willing to form an exploration team with me?" She pleaded, hoping to have him with her as a partner after having just successfully retaken her relic fragment with his help. "I'm convinced that I can form an effective exploration team with you, Pikachu."_

_"So will you? Please?"_

_There was a brief moment silence where she feared he'd refuse, her insecurity flaring as she noticed his slight frown and look of surprise._

_Yet after a few seconds, he smiled, and without hesitation, he agreed._

_The excited Eevee couldn't contain herself, "Yes? Really?!" Her eyes sparkled as she smiled widely, her voice loudly sounding as she suddenly vibrated with energy and eagerness._

_The mouse's smile seemed to broaden as her antics continued, her radiant positivity contagiously spreading to him as he quietly decided that being with her, in spite of all the confusion he was going through, wouldn't be so bad._

* * *

_As they were talking in the upper level of the Guild, their conversation was cut short by a loud and sudden noise that was heard by both of them._

_"Oh! My stomach growled!" She said, slightly embarrassed as she was, undoubtedly, rather hungry…_

_Then the noise repeated itself, although from a different source._

_"Ha ha ha! Your stomach growled too, Pikachu!" She laughed, finding humor in their predicament. "We must have worked up a big appetite! We were so focused on rescuing Azurill that I didn't notice at all!"_

_And then both of their stomachs rumbled simultaneously, making the only noise in the room as the duo were alone._

_"But now I'm even hungrier!" Eevee smiled, "Come on, let's go get dinner, Pikachu!"_

_Still slightly laughing a bit at what happened, the two headed below and into the mess hall, eating their hearts out after a job well done._

* * *

_"I'm putting my faith in you, Pikachu!" She shouted, speaking over the roaring waterfall that lay beside them. The size was enormous, and the depths below were terrifying to look at._

_If there was nothing behind this waterfall… If there was no cave to roll through or hole to run in to…_

_Well, they'd probably die._

_But there had to be something. If he was so sure, if he was so certain that there was a place behind this waterfall, she would believe him. He was her partner, after all. She trusted him with her life. She would do anything he'd asked of her, even if said thing seemed to defy all reason or counter all logic._

_Because, in the end, wouldn't he do the same thing for her? Wouldn't he always defend her and fight by her side through everything?_

_Of course._

_And so she forced her doubts aside, feeling her partner's bravery and determination, grasping it to use as her own as she tried to steel up her own courage. "Yes! I totally believe in you, Pikachu!" She yelled, heading some paces back to get ready and jump._

* * *

_"We went through a lot today." She sighed, barely feeling her legs as fatigue began settling in._

_"But you know what? It was incredibly fun for me!" She smiled, turning around to face him. "Sure, there was that huge letdown…"_

_Learning they'd never discovered anything new in the first place…_

_She mellowed out for a moment._

_"But it was our first exploration! I thought I was going to explode from excitement and anticipation the whole time." She finished, feeling a lot better about the past day than before. "It made me realize I made the right decision in joining an exploration team."_

_Then she slowly walked up to him and placed her treasure down, a newfound clarity forming as she thought about the future. "One day I'm sure I'll solve the secret of my Relic Fragment." Her eyes glowed with determination. "That's the dream I have."_

_"If it ever came true, I'd surely faint from sheer happiness! Ha ha ha ha!"_

_Looking up to his face, she couldn't help but continue laughing as the day suddenly ended on a brighter note._

_With him by her side, she'd be able to do anything, no matter how hard or challenging it would be._

* * *

_"GRR… GRR… OOOOOOOOOH!" The legendary Pokemon boomed, towering over the two little Pokemon who stood in front of it._

_"Urk… This is scary…" Eevee shuddered, her heart stopping as she felt Groudon's raw strength and power emanating in the air. "But we need to be brave!" She roused, "And I need to face up to this! There's no giving up now, Pikachu!"_

_Getting into a battle stance, they prepared for a tough and relentless battle, ready to fight with everything they had to the end._

* * *

_The lake was bright, defying the darkness of the evening sky. Endless amounts of water burst from the center, reaching into the heavens above as it was surrounded by illuminating Pokemon._

_When she saw it, her breath hitched._

_Staring, she could only bear to ask, "Are you taking in this view, Pikachu? This is so magical!"_

_He was silent as she said that, merely nodding in awed agreement. Their eyes remained glued to the sight, unable to move for a long time as they stood beside one another._

* * *

_The Sableye surrounded them. Their claws scratched through the series of ropes, slowly creating a weakness that they were all gambling on._

_"Hey!" Eevee urgently whispered to Pikachu and Grovyle. They turned slightly, looking toward her as she gestured down at the rope, the realization hitting them as their opportunity presented itself._

_Another second passed before Grovyle shouted, "Now!"_

_"Go!" Eevee reiterated, the trio breaking out of their ropes in a flash. They pushed the Sableye back as they stood up once more, triumphantly challenging their fate in front of the man who'd ordered their execution. They wouldn't be taken out so easily. Not yet._

_Not while there were still mysteries to solve._

* * *

_Her paws were cold, the solid rock beneath her lacking any feeling of warmth as she stood there. The only light lay in the distance, sparse and insignificant. Everything had changed. So many things had just happened that didn't make any sense. So many things were missing. So much was going wrong…_

_But in spite of her discomfort, confusion, and worry, he'd been there to lift her out of her despair. As he slowly began to walk onward, she couldn't help but call to him, "Pikachu, thank you."_

_"You tried to pick me up because I was feeling down." She spoke as she looked down toward the ground. "Even though you should be just as scared as I am, Pikachu… I'm sorry."_

_"Even though I have my closest and most precious friend with me… I worried all alone… And almost gave up all alone. When, in fact, I'm not alone." She slowly looked back up toward him, closing the distance between them. "I won't give up anymore."_

_"Because you're by my side, I can be brave, Pikachu."_

* * *

_They held their new status as apprentices with radiant pride, their badges donned with precision. There lay a whole world of opportunities in front of them. A new realm of possibility for both of them to explore._

_"Let's always do our best, Pikachu!" Eevee had him promise, the both of them vowing to do so as they looked up and cheered, euphoric at the dawn of their own exploration team together._

* * *

On hearing herself mutter those words, she felt herself waver, the ocean that she'd tuned out starting to sound in her ears again as her visions of memories and her immediate surroundings conflicted with one another. Her past experiences were merging with her current thoughts.

* * *

_"So let's go for it! Let's jump into that quicksand, Pikachu!"_

_They both turned toward the massive pit of swirling sand, unquestioningly prepared to take that leap of faith and jump in again._

* * *

For once… she lead the jump. She did the countdown. She took the initiative…

* * *

_"Let's go, Pikachu! Onward to Azelf's lake!"_

_They simultaneously nodded their heads and headed through the crystalline entrance._

* * *

And for once… she lead the way. She set the plan of action. She took the torch and shined brighter than she'd ever had before. Finally… she'd felt capable. She'd come a long way with him…

* * *

_"Pikachu." She called, a conviction and seriousness in her voice. "We have to… We have to get back! Back to our own world!"_

_"Hey Pikachu!"_

_The Pikachu looked weakly her, all his attention directed toward what she was going to say._

_"We have to do this for Grovyle's sake! Let's go to Temporal Tower!"_

_His response was half-hearted and pained as if he was hiding something and bearing the weight heavily on his shoulders as he picked himself up and followed behind her._

* * *

The feeling of her legs and paws returned to her. The warm sand molded to her feet and softly enveloped them. The vision in her eyes was no longer foggy, the sight of the endless coast out before her as she blinked a couple of times, refocusing.

After a while, she finally spoke, "I remember it all so fondly."

"All those memories of my time with Pikachu…" She said, starting to feel the crippling absence of the yellow mouse profoundly.

"... Memories…" She weakly muttered, "of Pikachu…" His warm, enduring spirit. His brave and determined motivation. His comforting and reassuring guidance. His hearty companionship. His wholehearted trust and confidence in others. His ease and approachability. Without a doubt, he lifted her above her doubts and fears, and gave her the determination to be fearless and strong. She confided in him. He always put her first and defended her. They were inseparable. He sacrificed himself so that she could save the world. He was her hero, and he made her into one as well.

She felt Pikachu's presence beside her. His eyes stared directly at her, his presence etching deeply within the crevasses of her brain with a distinct shade of yellow. She heard his voice, its strength and determination palpable as it echoed within her. She was desperately holding onto all of it, shaking as she tried in vain to call out to him in some way. All she wanted was to hear him reply and say it would be okay, that they'd get through everything in the end.

"But now… Pikachu is gone…" She said, his long absence starting to come crashing down upon her with renewed pain. "And Pikachu…" She stuttered, clearly starting to hold back tears, "isn't here anymore…"

She felt the invisible presence start to vanish again. She tried to grasp at it, trying to keep it with her. She was yelling, shouting, and screaming so that, by some miracle, he would hear him. She was sobbing and begging, pleading for him to stay and not leave her behind. She would've done anything for him to hear her speak, anything to talk to him for one last time. Yet her mouth did not move. Words did not form. And his presence started to fade. She felt him escape her, and she could only weep…

And suddenly, it started all over again. Suddenly it was like the day after she'd come from Temporal Tower, locked within her room despairing with sobs. Suddenly there was a gaping hole in her heart that made her start gasping for air as if she couldn't breathe. Suddenly her vision was hazy and watery, and her eyes had forced shut. Suddenly the image of him pierced her with fury, crippling her ability to stand as she crumpled into the sand and became a crying mess like she had on that first day, wailing and weeping loudly. Suddenly those months spent moving on meant nothing as his missing presence was felt all over again. Suddenly she felt so lonely, like she'd been isolated for an eternity without hope or happiness. Suddenly she felt so empty, like her life's purpose was meaningless and pointless, as she had nothing to look forward to.

Why?!

Why did he have to disappear? Why did he have to go?

It just wasn't fair! It wasn't fair that she got to live and he didn't! It wasn't fair that he had to give himself up so that she could continue living each day!

They had just saved the world from a horrible fate. A future where the sun never rose, where colors would never shine, and where friendships would never form. A planet lifeless, dark abyss of a planet with no hope of revival. They took down a legendary Pokemon and brought time back into order. They did everything for the waves to flow, the wind to blow, and the trees to grow. Yet she couldn't care less about what she'd gained, prevented, or done. She could only focus on what was lost. Selfishly, all she cared about was him, nothing else.

She was supposed to be brave and selfless when he was with her. She was supposed to be so much more than a crying wreck when he was around. But he wasn't with her. And although she knew he'd want her to keep going onward with him only in her thoughts… she couldn't help but dwell. She couldn't help but fall apart, him having done so much for her only to disappear after reaching the zenith of their adventure. She couldn't help but be torn into pieces. She just couldn't help any of it.

She missed him. She missed him so much.

And, it seemed, she would never stop missing him.

The tears would never stop bursting. The cries would never be contained. The throbbing feeling of mourning and insignificance would never go away. No matter how much time passed. No matter how much happened. No matter what, crying was all she could do.

And on the sandy beach, right where she'd met him, that's all she did. Collapsed, listless on the shore as she begged time to go back and bring him back, waiting sorrowfully.

If this was the price of saving the world, if this was the pain she was destined to suffer from every day onward, she might not have wanted to be the one to place those gears into place at all. She might have stalled, deciding that having him was more important than stopping time from falling apart. She might've let the world collapse if it meant being with her best friend for as long as she could live.

But she couldn't. It wasn't right to deny everyone else's right to live in this beautiful world. It wasn't right to let them suffer so that he would still be here with her. It just hurt her so much, knowing she was the only one who'd had to lose someone in the process. It hurt knowing she'd be the only one who'd forever feel the pain of someone missing.

She had to bear the pain alone so that others could smile and see the sunset…

"Wah! Eevee!" A voice suddenly cried out.

Bidoof came running to her, startled and worried to see her collapsed by the ocean. "You've been gone so long, I took to worrying about you…" Bidoof eventually said, trying to get her to lift herself up. "Wh-what's the matter?" He tried to console her, genuinely concerned and trying to help her in spite of his uncertainty over how to approach whatever was ailing her.

She slowly lifted herself up and turned to him, continuing to sniffle and sob uncontrollably as she tried to look forward. For a second, she nearly composed herself. Then, a moment later, she burst out into tears again as she wailed, "B-Bidoof! Bidoof!"

"Waaaah!" She cried, eyes gushing water. She was only getting worse with each passing moment.

"Wa-wah?!" Bidoof replied, unable to come up with anything to say as he stood beside her, trying to offer what little comfort he could.

She only laid on the sand, where every second felt like an eternity, and no one in the world could seem to stifle her sorrow.

* * *

**...**

* * *

Temporal Tower still lay in shambles, severely damaged and only barely standing upright as it overlooked the floating Hidden Land.

At the top lay Dialga, who stood still in the middle of the cracked floor, overlooking the broad cloudy skies of obscured its location. It emanated a seriousness and power that vibrated through the air, demanding respect in its sheer size and ability. It seemed to ponder as it watched the scene on the beach with unwavering attention, the Eevee motionless on the sand.

Everything around it held still as it started to speak, the loud, godly voice echoing throughout the entirety of the floating lands around the tower.

"Eevee." It began, transitioning into a more regal and powerful tone as it spoke onward. "WHEN YOU LEFT HERE…"

"WHEN YOU BID FAREWELL TO THIS PLACE FROM THE RAINBOW STONESHIP…"

"YOUR SORROW…" It mentioned, evidently moved by her conviction, "I FELT ITS INTENSITY FROM EVEN HERE."

"AND IF THAT IS HOW YOU FEEL EVEN NOW… AND IF PIKACHU WERE TO SHARE THOSE FEELINGS… I WILL GRANT YOUR WISH."

"THE WORLD NEEDS YOU BOTH." It affirmed. "THAT IS WHY… I WILL TRUST YOU WITH A GIFT."

"I LEAVE TO YOU… THE FUTURE!"

Turning around with brevity and elegance only a legendary would be capable of, the dragon faced off into the distance and boomed, "THIS IS MY THANKS!"

"PLEASE ACCEPT IT!"

Then it looked up and began to roar, its voice reaching far into space. It began to bend time to its will, creating a rare, unprecedented exception in the timeline as it sought to finally tend to the Eevee's sorrow with finality and grace.

* * *

**...**

* * *

There was a vibration in the black space of nothingness, one that ripped into the void and pulled everything together into a perfect combination, some divine intervention bringing the drifting spirit back into the light with an expedience that left no moment to adjust or realize what was happening.

There was a blinding white orb that grew outward into a shining yellow, engulfing him as it transcended dimensions and timelines, navigating the messy waters of every universe and reality before coming to a halt.

He could feel his body reforming, his stubby little hands and his tiny little feet able to be moved again. Everything was coming in quickly, so quickly that for a moment he couldn't think or say anything. He was stuck in a bright yellow pulsing sphere, one that slowly brought him to full awareness almost as suddenly as he had been brought back from nothingness.

Then the sphere closed in on itself, leaving him there as he haggardly tried to take it all in, the ground beneath his feet solid for once and his heartbeat live and steady again. Emerging from a void, he was whole once more.

He was alive.

As his memory caught up to him, as his return to reality was so sudden, his thoughts immediately went to that one Pokemon. The one Pokemon who'd been through everything with him. The one who'd made him laugh heartily, who grew stronger and more capable as they traveled together. The one who persevered through the most impossible of tasks and inspired him to do the same. His best friend and most trusted companion.

Eevee.

As his vision cleared and he was no longer disoriented, he turned to see her right there, standing in front of him with eyes as wide as his, unmoving and shocked. He felt his breath escape him, his instinct to run toward her and tackle her taking over as his mind rushed to catch up, realizing that yes, he was here again.

Yes, he was here again. He could laugh, smile, cry, and feel again. He could talk again. Because he was here, he could see her again. And nothing else felt more right in the world because of that.

She didn't care why. He didn't care how. He was here.

They both ran toward each other, not caring about the world around them as their eyes never left the other's own. Within a moment, they were standing in front of each other, the weight of their adventures weighing heavily on both of them as they had finally been brought back together. Eevee jumped with an uncontained excitement, it being clear how much she missed him.

Then Eevee broke, collapsing in front of her as she was hiccuping with tears of joy. Her wishes were truly answered. She had him with her again, she was no longer alone. She had a reason to fight and be brave again. All the pain she'd been through was gone, replaced with a boundless euphoria that couldn't contain itself.

Pikachu couldn't help but hug her and hold her close, afraid that letting go would cause it all to go away again. He never wanted to disappear again. He never wanted to leave her side again. Because without her, he would be stuck in that void again, directionless and lost as time would no longer matter. She meant everything to him, and he'd hoped she felt the same way toward him.

The world could throw anything at them. The days could pass with impunity and roughness. They didn't care. Those days spent crying and suffering, those moments with things left unsaid and regrets left unresolved, they didn't matter anymore. Unlike before, they had all the time in the world to be together. They were here, and they were okay. They'd saved the world, they'd made sacrifices, and in the end, everything resolved itself.

As Eevee nestled into Pikachu's embrace, she let out a breath. A weariness took over her as she began to feel her vision falter, the emotional toll of everything that had happened over the past day and month finally bearing down on her and bringing her to sleep. She wiped the tears beneath her eyes for the second time that day, letting the warmth and comfort surround her as she smiled to herself, finally with the one that mattered most to her.

Finally, everything was right in the world, and she could sleep in peace and comfort for the first time in months.

Finally, she could be brave again.

* * *

**(4925 words)**

**A/N: **

So? How did I do?

Probably not very well for a first, but I guess it's better to try and not do anything at all. Hopefully you enjoyed the read!

Maybe leave a review? Let me know where I can improve?

Also, the cover art is mine, just in case that needs to be cleared up.

_Seeya!_


End file.
